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Friday, March 29, 2013

Stephanie Meyer's follow up novel after the Twilight series. Now here comes The Host that tackles about alien invaders who takes over the human body and lives. Special thanks to Ralph for the advance screening tickets he gave us.

The Earth is already inhabited by an alien species called "souls". Only few humans are left, and the souls hunt them down, invading their bodies while taking their memories. One of them is Melanie (Saoirse Ronan) who was captured by the souls leaded by the seeker (Diane Kruger) where they implanted a new soul on her called "Wanderer". But in Melanie's human consciousness resisted and soon the two got along as they travel to find her group. They just need to work together and avoid to be re-captured by the seekers troops.

Honestly the story of the film is very compelling. At first we think that it is senseless as most of the time Melanie is resisting and talking to herself. But as the story moves along it became interesting especially when they reached their destination. They also had a romantic angle between the characters that you might find silly and funny that relied well with the strong performances of its casts. It doesn't have much cheesy lines that you might expect but as you know Stephanie Meyer's does always something unique to attract the viewer's attention.

Overall The Host is a great romantic sci-fi themed movie. Personally we don't like that genre but we got a lot of positive vibes while watching this. The plot is really engaging, the actors had a pretty good performance and the costume designs is really attractive. We are thinking what did the critics saw to put down this film as we're not quite sure if we watched the same film. If you loved Twilight you'll like this too. Give this film a chance and go see it with your friends. We just hope Stephanie Meyer would write the 2nd book as we will wait for its sequel.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Revving
up soon on the big screen is Dreamworks Animation’s “Turbo”
(3D), meanwhile the movie’s international trailer is at

Starring
the voices of Ryan Reynolds, Paul Giamatti, Snoop Dogg, Maya Rudolph,
Ben Schwartz and Samuel L. Jackson, “Turbo” is a fast-paced,
action-packed 3D comedy and is set to have audiences around the world
root for a super-charged snail to use his incredible powers to win
the ultimate race against his idols so that he can prove once and for
all that no dream is too big and no dreamer is too small.

From
a concept by David Sorren, a DreamWorks Animation veteran story
artist, “Turbo” is about a snail who feeds his need for speed by
sneaking into a garage to watch racing on an old dusty tv set and
emulates his hero, French Canadian Indy 500 champ Guy Gagne.
Turbo (Reynolds) desperately wishes he could escape the slow-paced
life he's living and race like his hero, making him an oddity in
their slow moving community. As fate would have him have it, he
gets that chance one day after a freak accident when he suddenly
finds himself vested with the power of incredible speed.

From
DreamWorks Animation and 20th
Century Fox, “Turbo” in 3D opens July 19 in cinemasnationwide.

Talented
teen heartthrob Logan Lerman returns as demi-god Percy Jackson, the
son of the powerful sea-god Poseidon and sails the most dangerous of
seas in the upcoming “Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters” along with
returning cast Alexandra Daddario, Brandon T. Jackson, Jake Abel and
Sean Bean.

Based
on the bestselling “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” book series
written by Rick Riordan, “The Sea of Monsters” reunites Percy
(Lerman) and Annabeth (Daddario) at Camp Half-Blood along with Tyson
(Douglas Smith), Percy’s half-brother who is a Cyclops. Their
journey takes them to uncharted dangerous seas to recover the Golden
Fleece that can save the camp and eventually save their best friend
Grover (Jackson) who is half-man/half-goat from a very mean Cyclops,
Polyphemus.

With
Percy whose powers include control of the waters, Annabeth whose
strengths are her wit and warrior skills from her god-mother Athena
and Tyson being resistant to fire and possesses powerful strength,
the three embark head-on amid raging seas racing against time and
battle with other teen demigods to save their world.

Arriving
in (Phils.) theaters August 15 nationwide, “Percy Jackson: Sea of
Monsters” is from 20th Century Fox and will be available
in 3D and 2D format.

Watch
out for more news, photos, trailers at @20thCenturyFoxPh YouTube
channel and 20th Century Fox (Philippines) Facebook page.

Boyle,
whose worldwide acclaimed works “Slumdog Millionaire,” “Shallow
Grave,” “Trainspotting” and “127 Hours” that covered themes
such as triumph of the human spirit despite abject poverty and
reality brings a new kind of thrill in “Trance.” Boyle crafts a
wildly twisted mind puzzle exploring identity, madness and perception
using the altered state of hypnotic trance.

“Trance”
introduces us to Simon (McAvoy), a fine art auctioneer, who teams up
with a criminal gang to steal a Goya painting, a work of art worth
millions of dollars, but after suffering a blow to the head during
the heist he wakes to discover that he has no memory of where he has
hidden the painting. When physical threats and torture fail to
produce answers, the gang’s leader Franck (Cassel) hires
hypnotherapist Elizabeth Lamb (Dawson) to delve into the darkest
recesses of Simon’s psyche. As she digs deeper into his broken
subconscious, the stakes become much higher and the boundaries
between desire, reality and hypnotic suggestion begin to blur and
disappear.

“After
“Slumdog,” producer Christian Colson and I were looking for new
work to do together and I told him there were a couple of ideas I’d
always been drawn to: the Aron Ralston story - which became “127
Hours” - and this mad thriller called “Trance,” recalls Boyle.
“It felt like it would be perfect material for John Hodge. Boyle
worked closely with screenwriter John Hodge -- with whom he
collaborated on “Shallow Grave” and then on the acclaimed and
shocking black comedy about Scottish junkies, “Trainspotting” --
on a screenplay that melds dangerous seduction and electrifying
action in a suspense filled spiral.

In
tackling the material, Boyle saw a chance to update classic film noir
themes – betrayal, moral uncertainty, sexual tension and the lurid
instincts that seem to lurk beneath every human’s skin into a
modern context. He was also excited to bring a fresh take to
the iconic femme fatale, with the character of Elizabeth Lamb, the
beautiful hypnotherapist who proves to be every bit the equal of the
men playing power games around her.

As
Boyle and Hodge began writing and updating the classic film noir
themes such as betrayal, moral uncertainty, sexual tension and lurid
instincts, they knew this story could not be constructed with a
conventional, linear plot-line but demanded a kaleidoscopic structure
revolving around McAvoy’s character, Simon. They plunged deep
into the disoriented, broken mind of a character who not only cannot
remember where he left the stolen Goya . . . but also has no idea
what so urgently impelled him to hide it in the first place. They
designed a web-like narrative in which Simon’s hypnosis sessions
start to blow apart his very concept of who he is, and how he came to
be in this situation.

Hodge
continues: “Danny and I wanted to have a kind of constant
uncertainty for the characters as to what the truth is. These
three characters have to rely almost exclusively on what the others
are saying or doing in order to figure out what’s going on.
And of course, pretty much everything that the others say or do is
either a lie or a manipulation or unreliable in some way. So,
the protagonists are trapped in a puzzle of their own making. The
challenge for them -- and the fun for the audience – is to try and
solve that puzzle.”

Most
of all, Boyle and Hodge loved the idea of having three strong
characters who at various times might appear to be either very good
or very bad. “The story’s got three excellent
parts in it and they battle for who’s at the center of the film,”
comments Danny Boyle. “That triangle is a lovely dynamic to
have in place as you can play with the question of which character
the story belongs to.”

Walt
Disney Studios has just announced the voice cast comprising Team
Dusty, the hero group in “Planes,” an action-packed 3D animated
comedy adventure that's hitting Philippine theaters this August.

The
cast is led by Dane Cook, Stacy Keach, Cedric The Entertainer, Teri
Hatcher and Brad Garrett. Below are the first-look images of the
characters, with corresponding descriptions.

Dusty
(voice of Dane Cook) is a plane with high hopes—literally. Crop
duster by trade, this single-prop plane sees himself soaring
alongside his high-flying heroes in an international race. The fact
that he’s not really built for competitive racing doesn’t deter
him from pursuing his dream—but his fear of heights just might.
With a little help from his friends—and a WWII vet with wisdom to
spare—Dusty takes off on an adventure of a lifetime, going
prop-to-prop with champions while daring to reach heights he never
imagined possible.

A
reclusive old Navy Corsair, Skipper Riley (voice of Stacy Keach)
was an ace flier and top instructor of the esteemed Jolly Wrenches
squadron until an incident during a combat mission took him off the
front lines and left him grounded for life. These days, Skipper keeps
to himself, but his quiet existence is turned upside down when an
ambitious and persistent Dusty solicits Skipper’s aerial
expertise—and gets a few life lessons in the process. But
Skipper—who’s never really come to terms with his past—finds
that he has a few things to learn, too, and while coaching Dusty to
fly faster and smarter, the teacher becomes the student.

Leadbottom
(voice of Cedric the Entertainer) is a puttering old biplane and
a grumbling taskmaster, a real “tank-half-empty” kind of guy. As
the proprietor of Vitaminamulch, a special—albeit putrid—blend of
vitamins, minerals, and mulch that works miracles when sprayed on
crops, Leadbottom has no time for Dusty’s far-fetched flights of
fancy. There are too many crops to spray and not enough hours in the
day to spray them. For Leadbottom, it’s work first, then … well,
more work.

Dottie
(voice of Teri Hatcher) is a forklift who co-owns and operates
Chug and Dottie’s Fill ’n Fly service station. As Dusty’s
practical and say-it-like-it-is friend—not to mention his ace
mechanic—Dottie hopes to keep his high-flying hopes grounded in
reality: Dusty isn’t built to race and chasing his dream is
downright dangerous. No matter what he decides, however, Dottie will
always have his back.

Fuel
truck Chug (voice of Brad Garrett) is a guy’s guy. He works
hard as co-owner of Chug and Dottie’s Fill ’n Fly service
station—and plays hard indulging in his own fuel from time to time.
He has a big personality and is a bold supporter of Dusty’s
high-flying endeavors. Indeed, he’s not only Dusty’s buddy, he’s
his coach and biggest fan. And if Chug can’t help Dusty reach new
heights, he’ll find someone who can.

Distributed
by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International, “Planes”
takes off in Philippine theaters in 3D on Aug. 21, 2013, and will be
presented in Disney Digital 3D™ in select cinemas.

“It
will start like any other day,” so the teaser posters of the new
action thriller “White House Down” cryptically say. Columbia
Pictures has just launched the initial one-sheets the Roland
Emmerich-directed potential blockbuster starring Channing Tatum and
Jamie Foxx.

In
the film, capitol policeman John Cale (Tatum) has just been denied
his dream job with the Secret Service of protecting President James
Sawyer (Foxx). Not wanting to let down his little girl with the news,
he takes her on a tour of the White House, when the complex is
overtaken by a heavily armed paramilitary group. Now, with the
nation’s government falling into chaos and time running out, it's
up to Cale to save the president, his daughter, and the country.

Written
by James Vanderbilt, “White House Down” also stars Maggie
Gyllenhaal, James Woods, Richard Jenkins and Joey King.

Opening
across the Philippines in June 2013, “White House Down” is
distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures
Releasing International. Visit http://www.columbiapictures.com.ph for
trailers, exclusive content and free downloads. Like us at
www.Facebook.com/ColumbiaPicturesPH and join our fan contests.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Finally the long wait is over as G.I. Joe: Retaliation opens in 3D this coming Saturday. It's supposedly will be released June last year but Paramount decided to delay the sequel so they can convert the film in 3D. Lucky for as we were able to attend the red carpet IMAX premiere last night, thanks to SM Cinema.

Cobra has a new plan in destroying the world. Zartan (Arnold Vosloo) stole the identity of the President of the United States. He makes a call to exterminate the Joes in a blind onslaught but they leave 3 Joes alive. Roadblock (Dwayne Johnson), Lady Jaye (Adrianne Palicki) and Flint (D.J. Cotrona) asks help from General Joe Colton (Bruce Willis) to find out Cobra's plans and stop it before it's too late.

Converting the film in 3D is a great idea with outstanding visuals that is so stunning especially on an IMAX screen. The film doesn't waste time in producing breathtaking scenes. They brought in high caliber action sequences from aerial assault to tank battles plus hand combats and heart pounding hanging sword fights on the mountains. We miss many characters from the previous film but the addition of Dwayne Johnson as Road Block caps off that loss. He is a perfect fit as a Joe because he is like a living action figure. We also love that the Snake Eyes/Storm Shadow storyline was highlighted as a lot of fans are looking forward to it.

Overall G.I. Joe: Retaliation would be appreciated easily by movie goers. Appealing talented actors completing the cast. A sigh of relief for the fans as the movie was way better from its predecessor. It is a fast paced, nonstop action movie that will surely make a hit at the box office. We highly recommend this film and it is better if you see it in IMAX 3D.

MANILA, THE PHILIPPINES (7 March 2013)
– Treat
the children and the whole family with a passport to a magical
adventure. This Easter, Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila will not only
keep the magic alive – it is a family celebration complete with
glorious elements, including food, games and activities meant to fire
up the bliss and excitement.

For
only PHP 800 net for both children and adults from 11 am to 3 pm, Le
Salon is transforming into a magical enchanted garden where everyone can
look forward to meeting candy fairies, wizards and dwarves. Not only
are
these characters a surprising delight, the afternoon buffet snacks are
pouncing with sweet and savoury choices personally hand-picked by
Executive Chef Josef Miklavc and his team. Fruit Magic’s refreshing
fruit shakes are also available featuring their most
popular concoctions.

With
careful eyes and a steady hand, activities such as face painting and
meringue egg decoration will surely satisfy everyone’s penchant for arts
and crafts. Plus, the line-up of interactive activities, such as
balloon
twisting, pin the magic wand, magic hat, eggs in a pot and an
exhilarating show by a wizard performing feats of magic and illusion,
serve as the ultimate icebreaker and bewitching features of the party.

Of
course, it would not be an Easter party without egg hunting, so all
children get to “eggs‑plore” for many eggs in the Mystery Egg Hunt, with
carefully tucked away incredible prizes, including an overnight stay in
a
guestroom with breakfast buffet for two at the Market Café.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Chasing MavericksBy: Lakwatsera LoversChasing Mavericks is an inspiring real life story of the surfing legend Jay Moriarity. He wants to conquer and defy the world's biggest waves.

When Jay Moriarity (Jonny Weston) was just a kid he was saved by Frosty Hesson (Gerard Butler) from drowning. He grows up being one of the best surfers in their town. One day he decided to follow Frosty and he saw that the mythic maverick waves are located just a few miles from his home. Soon he asks Frosty to train him to accomplish one of his dreams but he needs to undergo different sets of trainings in order to survive the Mavericks.

Basically the film's intention is to inspire people. It shows the struggles and hard work Jay Moriarity to reach his dreams. It also shows thefriendship formed around with mentor Frosty. It's a tough sell film because many people won't take time to watch this kind of films. Others might find it boring but if you come to think of it, it is really a good film. The actors did a pretty nice job hats off to Gerard Butler and Jonny Weston. It is also visually gorgeous, has a nice set of locations and shows the passion of the sport. And the climax is genuinelythrilling, breathtaking and suspenseful.

Overall Chasing Mavericks should deserve a much higher rating. It is a nice tribute to Mr. Jay Moriarity, he inspired us in many ways. After watching it we now want to try surfing as we think it's kinda cool. Forget what the critics say, it is better if you see the movie for yourself.

Globe
Business has established yet another industry milestone as it becomes
the first in Asia to earn the significant Metro Ethernet Forum –
Carrier Ethernet (MEF CE) 2.0 certification on March 20, 2013,
elevating its status as among top service providers worldwide which
can now deliver added benefits to its customers by matching
enterprise users’ application performance needs to MEF services
with specific service-level agreements (SLAs).

FIRST
IN ASIA. Globe Business Head Jesus Romero proudly announced that
Globe Business is the first telecoms services provider in Asia to
earn the Metro Ethernet Forum – Carrier Ethernet (MEF CE) 2.0
certification on March 20, 2013. “This certification elevates the
status of Globe Business as among top service providers worldwide. It
is not only an important achievement for us but it also augurs well
for the local ICT industry. It reflects our company’s genuine
commitment to deliver world-class and best-in-class services to our
customers,” he said. Globe Business is presently the only
Philippine and Asian service provider, and fourth in the world, to
achieve MEF CE 2.0 certification. This means that Globe Business can
deploy its products and solutions much faster, and guarantee
customers of globally-compliant services which will work seamlessly
with their network.

Head
of Globe Business Jesus Romero lauded the company’s latest
accolade, noting that "being the first not only in the
Philippines but in Asia to receive certification for Carrier Ethernet
2.0 is not only an important achievement for us but it also augurs
well for the local ICT industry. It reflects our company’s genuine
commitment to deliver world-class and best-in-class services to our
customers."

As
the pioneer of premium-grade corporate solutions in the country,
Globe Business is presently the only Philippine and Asian service
provider, and fourth in the world, to achieve MEF CE 2.0
certification with its point-to-point E-Line (EPL and EVPL) and
multipoint-to-multipoint E-LAN services, strengthening its Ethernet
services’ MEF 9 and MEF 14 certifications or MEF CE 1.0 which
define Ethernet service functionality and service performance,
respectively. These accreditations enhance the company’s end-to-end
service Operation, Administration and Maintenance (or OAM)
capabilities for the three-level Class of Service and Tier 1 service
performance as they make Globe Business Ethernet services the best
choice at world-class standards.

Its
next generation MEF CE 2.0 also extends the original purpose of
Carrier Ethernet with added vital features, including easier
interconnection with global Ethernet providers and partners for
multiple standard service types as well as enabling new levels of
efficiency for mobile backhaul.

WORLD-CLASS
ACCREDITATION FOR GLOBE BUSINESS. Globe Business is the first company
in Asia and the fourth company in the world to be awarded the Metro
Ethernet Forum – Carrier Ethernet (MEF CE) 2.0 certification. This
means that Globe Business is able to deploy its products and
solutions much faster, and guarantee customers of globally-compliant
services which will work seamlessly with their network. Metro
Ethernet Forum – Carrier Ethernet (MEF CE) 2.0 certification also
means that Globe Business is now one of the top telecoms service
providers in the world. Globe Business Head of Business Products and
Services Francisco Claravall said that “this accreditation from a
global-certifying IT body is actually the result of the hard work and
commitment put in by our Data Network Planning and Engineering, our
Product Management team, as well as our colleagues from Tellabs and
Iometrix.”

Globe
Business Head of Enterprise Segments Grace Castillo assured that
“with our MEF CE2.0 certified services, we can deploy our products
and solutions much faster, provide guarantee to customers of
globally-compliant services which will work seamlessly with their
network and allow end-to-end visibility to perform faster issue
identification and resolution as well as ensure SLA delivery.”

“What
this means in terms of Classes of Service is that our customers can
run multiple and critical applications while we assist and support
them in prioritizing which ones can pass through Ethernet traffic.
Likewise, we can conduct non-intrusive tests with added testing
parameters leading to quicker turn-around time in pinpointing issues
and resolutions, less service downtime, ensure SLAs and improve
after-sales support. This gives them a definite advantage when
subscribing to our MEF CE 2.0-certified Ethernet services,” she
added.

GLOBE
BUSINESS was recently certified as one of the best telecoms service
providers in Asia and the world as it received the prestigious Metro
Ethernet Forum – Carrier Ethernet (MEF CE) 2.0 certification. This
means that Globe Business is able to deploy its products and
solutions much faster, and guarantee customers of globally-compliant
services which will work seamlessly with their network. The
certification also proves that Globe Business is now at the forefront
of innovation in the Philippines. Its status as the first company to
be MEF CE 2.0 certified in Asia demonstrates that the Philippine
telecommunications and ICT industry are moving ahead with Globe
Business in the lead. Show in photo is the Globe Telecom’s Network
Operations Center (NOC) which is now one of the best in Asia and the
world.

Meanwhile,
Globe Business Head of Business Products and Services Francisco
Claravall confirmed that “this accreditation from a
global-certifying IT body is actually the result of the hard work and
commitment put in by our Data Network Planning and Engineering, our
Product Management team, as well as our colleagues from Tellabs and
Iometrix through extended days and nights of continuous,
round-the-clock assessing and resolving issues during the course of
the certification tests. Our synergies were focused toward the
collective goal of giving the country its first MEF CE 2.0
certified-service through Globe Business.”

Already,
Globe Business customers have commended its move to take its Ethernet
services several notches higher, as attested by a long-time client
and local insurance giant Philamlife: “We’ve known Globe Business
to be at the forefront of innovation in the Philippines. Being
the first locally to be MEF CE 2.0 certified and, better yet, in
Asia, is a breakthrough not only for the company but for the country
as well. This demonstrates that the Philippine
telecommunications and ICT industry are moving ahead, with Globe
Business leading the way,” said Nilo Zantua, Vice President and
Head of IT Infrastructure of PhilamLife.

ONE
OF THE BEST IN ASIA AND THE WORLD. The Globe Business Team happily
received recognition as the first telecoms services provider in Asia,
and the fourth in the world, to earn the Metro Ethernet Forum –
Carrier Ethernet (MEF CE) 2.0 certification on March 20, 2013. The
certification proves that Globe Business can deploy its products and
solutions much faster, and guarantee customers of globally-compliant
services which will work seamlessly with their network.

THE
GLOBE BUSINESS TEAM recently received the prestigious Metro Ethernet
Forum – Carrier Ethernet (MEF CE) 2.0 certification on March 20,
2013—making Globe Business the first telecoms provider in Asia and
only the fourth the world to be certified for its point-to-point
E-Line (EPL and EVPL) and multipoint-to-multipoint E-LAN services,
strengthening its Ethernet services’ MEF 9 and MEF 14
certifications or MEF CE 1.0 which define Ethernet service
functionality and service performance. This means that Globe Business
guarantees customers of globally-compliant services which will work
seamlessly with their network and allow end-to-end visibility to
perform faster issue identification and resolution as well as ensure
SLA delivery. This makes Globe Business Ethernet services the best
choice at world-class standards..

Romero
commented: “We believe that more than just an accreditation
document, this acknowledgment from a global certifying body will
translate into tangible benefits that our customers will feel and
will be delighted about: simpler and faster deployment as well
as standardized services that offer them more choices, giving them
more reasons to be with Globe Business over and above any other
provider.”

Being
a non-profit organization, MEF sets global standards on Ethernet
services in terms of reliability, speed and SLAs and promotes
worldwide adoption of Carrier-class Ethernet networks and services.
With the recent conferment of the MEF CE 2.0 certification, Globe
Business revalidates its MEF 9 and 14 compliances as it tests its
network’s capabilities for Service OAM for end-to-end management
outlining three levels of Class of Service: low, medium and high, and
conducts a more rigid performance analysis based on MEF-defined
performance objectives and performance tiers which the company
convincingly excelled-in for all of its Ethernet services.

Marvel’s
“Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony
Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When
Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he
embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey,
at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall,
Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity
and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way
back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly
haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the
man?

Based
on the ever-popular Marvel comic book Super Hero Iron Man, who first
appeared on the pages of “Tales of Suspense” (#39) in 1963 and
had his solo comic book debut with “The Invincible Iron Man” (#1)
in May of 1968, “Iron Man 3” returns Robert Downey Jr. as Tony
Stark, the iconic Super Hero, along with Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper
Potts, Don Cheadle as James “Rhodey” Rhodes, Guy Pearce as
Aldrich Killian, Rebecca Hall as Maya Hansen, Jon Favreau as Happy
Hogan and Ben Kingsley as The Mandarin.

After
the “Iron Man” and “Iron Man 2” box-office successes, the
Iron Man character, once again reprised by Robert Downey Jr., was
last seen in Marvel Studios critically acclaimed “Marvel’s The
Avengers,” which set the all-time, domestic 3-day weekend box
office record at $207.4 million. The film went on to gross over $1.6
billion worldwide, becoming Disney’s highest-grossing global and
domestic release of all time and marks the studio’s fifth film to
gross more than $1 billion worldwide.

“The
exciting thing about ‘Iron Man 3,’ is that it’s not only the
culmination of the first two films, but it’s also a follow up to
‘Marvel’s The Avengers,’” says producer Kevin Feige. “It’s
one of the first situations where you have a movie that is the sequel
to two different films and in a way that liberates it to be more
unique than anything that has come before it, which is what we’re
most excited about.”

In
the Marvel cinematic universe, all events that happen within each
film have a direct influence and consequence in future films and
franchises. For Tony Stark the events and encounters he faced in
“Marvel’s The Avengers” may be behind him, but he is still
working hard to balance the demands of his own personal life.

For
the storyline of Marvel’s “Iron Man 3,” the filmmakers decided
on a “back-to-basics” tone where they could explore what Tony
Stark would do if all of his money and toys were stripped away from
him and he was forced to find a way back to being a Super Hero.

“Early
on in the development, we talked about this notion of taking Tony
Stark back to basics because we wanted to see him just use his
brain,” explains executive producer Louis D’ Esposito. “You
want to see what he can do when the odds are against him and it makes
you wonder, ‘How is he going to get out of this one?’”

Executive
producer Stephen Broussard explains the filmmakers’ decision to
blend two different storylines together for the film. “There are
two classic stories that have appeared in the ‘Iron Man’
comics—one is older and the other is more modern,” explains
Broussard. “The older is the character called The Mandarin, and he
is one of the most famous villains in the franchise. The character
dates back to the 1960s and we wanted Shane [Black] and Drew [Pearce]
to take that idea and contemporize it for present-day audiences.”

Broussard
adds, “We also wanted to combine that with another storyline in the
comic called Extremis, which came out not too long before the first
‘Iron Man’ film in 2008. It deals with the biological
enhancement of humans and Tony must face super-powered humans in
that. So we just thought, wouldn’t that be interesting if we tried
to combine these two stories into one for ‘Iron Man 3’?”

An
early believer in the Extremis story line, Downey Jr. says, “I
remember when we were getting ready to shoot ‘Iron Man,’ I
started reading ‘Iron Man’ comics and there was this one called
‘Extremis,’ and I thought it was really interesting and cool.”

“The
thing about the Extremis storyline that always interested me in the
comic books was that you had a sense that Tony Stark puts on an iron
suit and hides inside it in a way,” says director Shane Black. “The
character wouldn’t call it that, but that’s kind of the case.
With the Extremis people, you always got a sense that they’re
burning up from the inside. So one of them could actually say to Tony
for instance, ‘you drive a car, I am the car.’”

There
is plenty of angst from “Marvel’s The Avengers” to fuel Tony
Stark’s arc too. Before “Marvel’s The Avengers,” Tony Stark
thought he was the only Super Hero in the world, and in “Iron Man
3” he must deal with the revelation that he is not the only one out
there. As Kevin Feige explains, “In ‘Marvel’s The Avengers’
he faces a world-changing event that not only includes seeing the
powers of other Super Heroes, but also having a portal to another
world opened above his head.”

For
Robert Downey Jr. the journey of Tony Stark in the “Iron Man”
franchise is one that is very relatable to audiences. “The great
thing about ‘Iron Man 3’ is that we really are going back to kind
of an extension and continuation of some of the things that made the
franchise fly to begin with,” says Downey. “With the execution
and incredible success of ‘Marvel’s The Avengers,’ we’re
afforded the opportunity to not have to set up another film and can
really explore the character of Tony Stark in ways that are very
organic and connectable and play to the strength of the franchise.”

In
1868, after the end of the Bakumatsu war, the former assassin Kenshin
Himura (Takeru Satoh) promises to defend those in need without
killing the opponents and wanders through Japan with a sword with
inverted blade during the transition of the Samurai Age to the New
Age. When Kenshin helps the idealistic Kaoru Kamiya from the
gangsters of the powerful opium drug lord Kanryu Takedawho
wants her dojo for his production of opium, Kaoru invites Kenshin to
stay at her dojo. Meanwhile a man calling himself the “Hitokiri
Battousai” (The Man slayer) is murdering police officers and
leaving messages attached to their bodies. Kicking off his plans,
Kanryu begins to take the lives of innocent people in a bid to
acquire the land around Kaoru’s dojo. Unable to turn a blind eye
to those who are suffering, Kenshin decides to take action. Faced
with the insurmountable odds of facing Kanryu’s 250 man personal
guards, Kenshin’s only ally is a brawler named Sanosuke Sagara.
Will he be able to protect the people he cares about with only his
inverted blade?

Rurouni
Kenshin" premiered in Japanese theaters on August 25 peaking at
number one at the box office ahead of "The Avengers",
"Prometheus" and "Madagascar 3 ", with one input
stronger year. Turned on by fans of the anime and manga franchise’
most successful and internationally followed, this live-action
adaptation is one of the most anticipated Japanese film of the year
worldwide after having confirmed the distribution from 66 countries.

January,
1868. The shogun’s forces are defeated by a samurai uprising under
a lone swordsman known as “Battousai the Killer”, signalling the
birth of a new era. Once legendary for his killing prowess, Battousai
becomes a wanderer under the name of Kenshin Himura and vows never to
kill again. But things are not so simple: faced with those who wish
to return Japan to times of darkness, Kenshin is forced to grapple
with what renouncing violence could mean.

RUROUNI
KENSHIN grossed over $25 million in Japan, beating PROMETHEUS in the
same week of release. It was also selected for the 2012 Japanese Film
Festival in Melbourne and Sydney. The first movie to sell out its
screenings in both cities, RUROUNI KENSHIN was given bonus screenings
which also sold out.

THE
JOURNEY BEGINS

“I
will never kill again.”

The
legendary assassin who made a promise. Despite vowing to never cut
down another man, he could still protect the people he cares about.
This is the story of a man wielding a reverse blade — sharpened
only on the edge he holds toward himself — a wanderer fighting
against the times.

It’s
been ten years since the start of the Meiji Era and Japan’s and
transition from the Middle Ages to industrialization. Unemployed,
having lost the right to wear the sword, and facing guns and cannons,
the samurai have gradually disappeared into legend.

In
Tokyo, a man calling himself the “Hitokiri Battousai” (The Man
slayer) has appeared. Recklessly standing against him is the young
woman Kaoru Kamiya and the mysterious man who saves her.

As
fate would have it, Kaoru’s savior was actually the assassin who,
in the Bakumatsu period, once earned the title Hitokiri Battousai. He
has since changed his name to Kenshin Himura, a vagabond devoting his
life to protecting others with his reverse blade. He becomes a lodger
at Kaoru’s dojo, where she struggles to continue the sword style
her father left behind.

The
true identity behind the new — and false — Hitokiri Battousai is
Jin-e Udo, a bodyguard for the industrialist Kanryu Takeda. Forcing
the female doctor Takani Megumi to make opium, Kanryu makes a great
deal of money that he uses to purchase weapons to further his goal of
trying to control the world.

Police
officer Saito Hajime, a former member of the Shinsengumi, catches
onto Kanryu’s scheme but is incapable of laying a hand on the man
due to his strong political influence. Kicking off his plans, Kanryu
begins to take the lives of innocent people in a bid to acquire the
land around Kaoru’s dojo.

Unable
to turn a blind eye to those who are suffering, Kenshin decides to
take action. Faced with the insurmountable odds of facing Kanryu’s
250 man personal guard, Kenshin’s only ally is a brawler named
Sanosuke Sagara. Will he be able to protect the people he cares about
with only his reverse blade?

CHARACTERS

Kenshin
Himura: Takeru SatohFor
five years starting from the age of 14, he was an assassin for the
clan aiming to overthrow the Shogunate. After the restoration, he
tried to change his way of living but found that one can never truly
erase their past. The cross shaped scar on his face is proof of that.

Kaoru
Kamiya: Emi TakeiA
17 year old girl protecting her dojo alone. She believes that the
sword style her father taught, a blade that allows for others to
live, is carried on through Kenshin’s reverse sword style. She
seeks to support Kenshin.

Jin-e
Udo: Kouji KikkawaLike
a wolf thirsty for blood, he continued to kill others without end.
However after meeting the Battousai and engaging him in life or death
battle, he finds true meaning in his life.

Megumi
Takani: Yu AoiThe
daughter of a long line of doctors, she becomes Kanryu’s lover in
order to survive after her family is killed in battle. She truly
regrets assisting him in taking the lives of others.

Sanosuke
Sagara: Munetaka AokiA
brawler who wields a Zanbatou (a type of long sword). While impulsive
and quick to get angry, he’s a man who’s overflowing with
kindness. It is through his earnest personality that he forms a true
friendship with Kenshin.

Hajime
Saito: Yousuke EguchiFormer
leader of the 3rd squad of the Shinsengumi. He is now a police
officer in the Meiji government. He completely rejects Kenshin’s
belief of using the sword to save others without killing.

Kanryu
Takeda: Teruyuki KagawaAn
industrialist who believes there’s nothing one can’t buy with
money. He has no problems with taking the lives of those he believes
to be useless. He’s plotting to create a new empire.